Friday, April 30, 2010

Let's Welcome The Month Of MAY !



Only few minutes from now , April would be moving away .  Without any choice or option , a new beginning would be here for all of us. The New month of May. I'm not sure if I should be happy or not to see the new month coming my way since some problems from previous month of April were not totally solved yet. When & How I will have the answers to all my problems ... I don't have any idea . No one knows what lies ahead on our lives ayway.Good things can never be good if there are no bad things we can compare and associate  it with. As Chinese people say , Yin always come with Yang or vice versa . There is a perception (especially in the West) that yin and yang correspond to good and evil.


Although , somehow in some ways I should be feeling more happy & lucky realizing I'm still here and able to see another day & time . Whether they bring happiness or more heartaches to bear , only thing I can say is bring them on. Life is worth living only when we could overcome things no matter what they are and what they bring.

Well Anyway, that's basically all my opinion for my personal part.
Although in general, what's here to know really for the Month of May ?

EMERALD



 Emerald derived from the word "smaragdus," meaning green in Greek via the Old French 'esmeralde', was mined in Egypt as early as 330 BC. Today, most of the world's emeralds are mined in Colombia, Brazil and Zambia. This stone is believed to empower the owner with foresight into the future, good fortune, youth and rebirth.


The Emerald ~ is a member of the beryl family of minerals. The green crystals grow slowly within metamorphic rocks and are restricted in size by the rock, making large Emeralds rare and costly. Although this gemstone is relatively hard and durable, it must be protected from blows because the inclusions found within make it susceptible to breaking.

 " The green of life and of love " ~ The green of the emerald is the colour of life and of the springtime, which comes round again and again. But it has also, for centuries, been the colour of beauty and of constant love. In ancient Rome, green was the colour of Venus, the goddess of beauty and love. And today, this colour still occupies a special position in many cultures and religions.


Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined: emerald green. Inclusions are tolerated. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds. My Emerald Ring pictured here wasn't that big in size but great in sentimental value . It was bought as gift for me in the year 1990 . Whatever the occassion is at that time it was presented to me , I already had tried to forget and erase that moment in my mind . Why ? A hint is ... the supposed occassion didn't materialize! Although thinkin about it and picturing it in my imagination today, I'm happy it didn't happen ! Surely , I had no regrets ...

" A sophisticated gemstone  " ~ Whilst its good hardness protects the emerald to a large extent from scratches, its brittleness and its many fissures can make cutting, setting and cleaning rather difficult. Even for a skilled gem cutter, cutting emeralds presents a special challenge, firstly because of the high value of the raw crystals, and secondly because of the frequent inclusions. However, this does not detract from the cutters' love of this unique gem. Indeed, they have developed a special cut just for this gem: the emerald cut. The clear design of this rectangular or square cut with its bevelled corners brings out the beauty of this valuable gemstone to the full, at the same time protecting it from mechanical strain.

" The World's Famous Emeralds "

The two most famous emeralds are the Devon shire and the Patricia. The Devon shire is a 1383.95-carat, uncut Colombian crystal of fine green color. It was given to the sixth Duke of Devon shire by Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil in 1831. It is on permanent loan to the British Museum of Natural History.


 Duke of Devonshire. It is highly included and could not withstand cutting because of these inclusion. It is two inches square and weighs 1383.95 carats. It has a deep green color .

 

The 630-carat Patricia Emerald is another crystal of fine color that resides in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Emeralds as well formed and as large as the Museum's Patricia Emerald are exceedingly rare. Indeed, due to its form, color, and size -- 632 carats -- this specimen is considered to be one of the world's greatest emeralds. Moreover, while most uncut emeralds have six sides, the Patricia Emerald is dihexagonal, or twelve-sided. The emerald was found in the Colombian Andes in 1920, in the Chivor Mine. It is named for the mine-owner's daughter.

Other Well Kown Emerald Gems :

~The Mackay Emerald Necklace ~

The stunning 167.97-carat Mackay Emerald was mined in Muzo, Columbia. The largest cut emerald in the National Gem Collection, it is set in an Art Deco diamond and platinum necklace designed by Cartier Inc. In 1931, Clarence H. Mackay presented the necklace as a wedding gift to his wife, Anna Case, a prima donna of the New York Metropolitan Opera from 1909 to 1920. The piece was donated to the Smithsonian Institute by Mrs. Anna Case Mackay in 1984. Source: The National Gem Collection by Jeffrey E. Post.


Photo by Chip Clark
~ The Chalk Emerald Ring ~

The superb clarity and deep green color of the 37.82-carat Chalk Emerald ranks among the very finest Columbian emeralds. According to legend, it was once the centerpiece of an emerald and diamond necklace belonging to a maharani of the former state of Baroda in India.
It originally weighed 38.40 carats, but was recut and set in a ring, where it is surrounded by sixty pear-shaped diamonds (totalling 15 carats), by Harry Winston Inc. The ring was a gift to the Smithsonian Institute by Mr. and Mrs. O. Roy Chalk in 1972. Source: The National Gem Collection by Jeffrey E. Post.


When Emerald is the Birthstone For May, on the other hand,
the Birth Flower is the Lily ( Lilium )


The genus Lilium are herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. The Lily flower symbolizes purity and refined beauty. Based on the colour or type, the Lily flower can convey different meanings.

 ( This Photo of  the Lily Flowers above was taken in my Beadroom last Januray 2008 ~ It was a birthday present from a neighbor of mine . )

Thanks again Jackie & Jamie for these beautiful flowers ! 





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